


Like Scattered Pages in the Wind

by Skarias



Series: Diplomatic Incidents [1]
Category: GreedFall (Video Game)
Genre: Diary/Journal, Eventual Romance, F/F, Spoilers, i guess?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-10
Updated: 2019-09-22
Packaged: 2020-11-02 02:21:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,271
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20589266
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skarias/pseuds/Skarias
Summary: Tidbits and journal entries following the ordeals of Katherine De Sardet and her companions on the island of Teer Fradee.





	1. On Open Sea

_I consider myself an optimist, believing that this might be one of my last entries before our long awaited arrival in the new world, to finally see the shores of Teer Fradee with my own eyes after a journey that has already dragged on for far too long. Yet nevertheless I remain hopeful that our voyage will come to its end sooner rather than later._

_It has been months since our departure from Serene, months since I experienced the luxury of solid ground beneath my feet that does not sway with the waves below, and months since I last saw mother. I worry, knowing full well that even if I could send a message to her, that it would take weeks and months before it reached the city, never mind the fact that it would take even longer for a reply to arrive. There is very little I can do but hope that the situation has not worsened, both concerning mother's health and the unrest in the boroughs._

_I still find myself restless every waking hour I spend aboard this <strike>boat</strike> ship, yearning for something to do, something to see other than the cloudy walls of mist that cling to the ship like burdocks to a coat. Sometimes I feel like the room around me shrinks a little every time I dare close my eyes, like the walls only wait for the right moment to close in and swallow me whole. Alas, neither Constantine nor the captain seem to share my troubles, still, I cannot help but notice the uneasiness which hangs in the air and only seems to worsen the closer we get to the island._

_I struggle to make much of the Nauts, even more so with their captain, and though you can barely round a corner without running into a member of the crew, it seems impossible to talk any of them into spilling one of their pesky little secrets. And secrets are not exactly lacking on this particular vessel. You can barely see much further than a few feet, up on the deck, and yet the captain assures us that we are still on course and that he knows exactly where we are – and I will be damned if I do not believe the man._

_I know I should be ecstatic that this whole ordeal finally nears its end, but I cannot help but see a singular image every time my mind returns to the isle like a pendulum that doesn't know when to stop; the beast's limbs an amalgam of wood and stone, chains sinking into its hands and feet, and enough strength to rip right through the hull of a ship. And we? We are sailing right into the lion's den. It still visits me from time to time in my dreams, the difference only that this time it is not weakened, it comes at me with all its might and what am I to do against such a thing but run? The dream usually ends there, I jolt awake and hope only that no one heard me scream in the middle of the night._

_But I cannot let these fantasies grow a foothold in my mind, I will not let them compromise the reason I chose to board this ship. I will make a difference, and I will not let a few bad dreams keep me from doing my duty. And who knows? Perhaps somewhere on that shrouded island lies a cure for the Malachor after all. _


	2. New Sérène

_To summarize the events of my stay in New Sérène; We have been served a beverage by the plague doctors, something vile enough to make me long for the watered-down rum and salt-filled rations served during our voyage. Furthermore I have had the opportunity to meet the daughter of the mál, who appears to be the leader, or queen, of one of the native tribes, which would make Síora herself a princess in my book (though she seemed to disagree on that regard). Oh, and lest I forget, we have been shot at, repeatedly, I might add._

_Now, while none of these experiences are particularly new, having had the chance to meet both a princess and taste some truly diabolical wine at the festivals we were forced to attend over the last years, to have all three of them occur in a matter of hours does make me question whether or not the universe is trying to tell me something._

_As for our captain, or former captain, I should say, he has been laid off until further notice by the Admiral herself and asked to lend me a hand. While I am grateful for anything that might help me in my negotiations with the Nauts, I fear that there may be an ulterior motive in having one of their own shadow my movements – Vasco may not look like much of a spy, but if the years spend at court have taught me anything, it is that looks are more often than not just another tool of deceit._

_But at least I have something to base my opinion concerning the captain, there appears to be no such luxury to be had regarding our princess without a tower – though so far I cannot say I agree with the few reports I could get my hands on before leaving for Teer Fradee. From what I could gather from the few words exchanged with Sìora, these people appear to be anything but the ‘wild savages’ some of the early settlers described them to be in their writings._

_I am to leave for both Hikmet and San Matheus in the following days, both as an emissary of the Congregation as well as to gather information about any leads related to a potential cure for the Malichor. _

_As for now all of the above mentioned issues have taken a back seat in my thoughts, however, as lately I have been mulling over Síora’s initial reaction concerning the first time we met. The mark on my face, while I had always wondered about it’s appearance, has never particularly bothered me before – but seeing her, bearing an almost identical feature, I cannot help but wonder if there is some sort of unspoken connection between them. I will have to ask her about it the next time I get the chance to talk to her, and I only hope she is willing to share what she knows now that I have learned of their uneasy relations to the Bridge. _

_I suppose only time will tell._

_ Additional Notes _

  * _Renaigse = Colonists (?)_

  * _Mál = Leader, or queen, perhaps?_

  * _On ol menawi = Native (?)_

  * _Remember to pay a visit to Lady Laurine as soon as possible, she will have a better understanding of the native language and may be able to fill in some of the gaps in my knowledge._


	3. Bridges and Prophets

_ Visiting San Matheus has been educational, frightening, but educational. As it turns out the the agents of the Mother Cardinal have indeed found new leads concerning ending the Malichor for good, even if it's not the definitive cure many of us had hoped for coming to Teer Fradee. Personally, I do not expect these leads to go anywhere at all considering they do a lousy job at concealing the fact that they simply point the finger towards the natives - something the Ordo Luminis surely sees no fault in at all. _

_ I had not expected to find the Ordo here on the island, perhaps that was naive of me knowing full well the 'purpose' of their rather disreputable organization even among their fellow countrymen. Before arriving at these shores I had hoped to begin negotiations with the people that made this island their home before us on equal footing, but after what I saw unfold on the market square today I am not sure that will be possible anymore. To say that the actions of the inquisitors will complicate matter beyond simple diplomacy is out of the question, and I can only pray to whatever god is listening that they have not yet burned whatever bridges remain connecting our peoples. _

_ A demonic cult, it has to be pure exaggeration, no? What will be next? Blood sacrifice? An attempt of the Ordo to rationalize their efforts to convert more and more of the islanders to the beliefs, no doubt - if not through coercion, then by force. Having witnessed Aloysius' 'tactics' with my own eyes, I dare hesitate to put much weight in anything that might have been influenced by their hand. However, I would be a fool to discard the Mother Cardinals words, as she seemed quite convinced that her sources spoke the truth, and will investigate this so called cult as soon as possible, to lay rest to Thélème’s suspicions, if nothing else. _

_ There is something else; an old friend, if you will, even if one I can barely remember. There is something there, a blurred image of a much younger man that my mind continuously tries to match to the voice I heard, I can't make sense of it and I feel the more I try the further the memories slip away, like water running through my fingers. _

_ He has his own motivations for offering his help, that much I am sure of - he is a player of the game, after all, has likely been a part of it long before I was born. I do not intend to be a pawn in his plans, and I can only hope that I will be able to anticipate any other surprises he has in stock for me. Yet nevertheless I am grateful for his presence, if only to smooth things over should we come to cross the Ordo Luminis again, something that seems inevitably the more I think about it. _

_ The Malichor, a curse? It cannot be that simple, can it? Surely there is a logical explanation behind it all, something real, something tangible - there has to be. There has to be a cure. _

_ \-- _

_ Leaving Thélème’s foothold in favor for the eastern regions of the island, we reached the capital of the Bridge Alliance in only a few days time, and continued our investigation there. Hikmet, while our welcome was not nearly as icy as that of San Matheus, leaves me once again with more open questions than Governor Burhan cares to answer. The Bridge, too, has not found anything close to resemble a cure to the disease that continues to ravage the Continent every day we spent stumbling in the dark, looking for a miracle that might or might not exist. _

_ While their approach appears far more reasonable than that of their adversaries at first glance, I can not help but to be reminded of my encounter with the alchemist before we boarded the ship leaving Sérène. His words echo in my mind even now, and I am past suspicions in believing that the Governor is telling us far from the whole truth concerning the disappearances of his scientists. There are are more pieces to this grandest of puzzles, more players involved than those ready to reveal themselves just yet. _

_ Still, if we are to have any hope of finding a cure to the Malichor, reaching these missing people might just turn out to be our best shot at eradicating that plague once and for all. _

_ We will be leaving for New Sérène in the morning, there is much to discuss with Constantin as well as Master de Courcillon and Lady Laurine, with a bit of luck they might even be able to secure a search party to find the missing scientists, that the Governor asked us to find, so that they may continue their work to find a cure. I am looking forward to seeing my cousin again after these long days of traveling the roads. Constantin d'Orsay, reputable governor of New Sérène, who would have thought it possible? _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm gonna try something a bit different with the next chapter, to break up the monotony if nothing else - I suppose we'll see whether or not I can make it work. There is a reason I put this fic as part of a series, after all.  
(also I tend to write these from memory so if I make some mistakes concerning in-game events please tell me!)


	4. Spilled Ink

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> End notes are important this time, don't skip 'em!

_It feels good to back in New Sérène, better than I expected it to, when I think about it. It almost feels like home, maybe it will once we get around to unpack some of the things I brought with me from the Continent – something that would require me to have a reasonable amount of downtime, a commodity that is in wistfully short demand at the moment. Not that I am complaining, mind you, one of the reasons I was looking forward to this assignment was the knowledge that it would be a busy position, but sometimes it feels like I all do is run from place to place like some errand girl (which is likely something that is written down in the job description, now that I think about it.)_

_Moving on, I am looking forward to the chance of traveling to Vedrad and meeting with the mál of the Gaís rad, Queen Bladnid. While I am yet unaware of the whole picture between their conflict with the Bridge Alliance, I remain hopeful that together we will be able to smooth over some of the bad blood between them and perhaps coerce both sides into reopening the talks for a peaceful solution. I suppose it is to be seen whether or not they will be open to negotiations with the natives, or if this will turn into a repetition of early talks between Thélème and the Bridge that Master de Courcillon used to tell me about. _

_While I am doing my utmost to stay optimistic, I fear that with the tension rising in-_

(the entry ends abruptly after that, a broad smear of ink indicating that the author might have been interrupted and abruptly jerked her hand away from the page.)

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Here's the rest of this chapter](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20733221)  
I decided to post that one seperately, both because it can be read as a standalone and because I'd like to keep this fic journal-entry only!


End file.
